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Exeter City’s growing injury list has led to manager Matt Taylor calling Alex Hartridge back from his loan spell at Truro City.

With Craig Woodman still a few weeks away from a return to training and Troy Brown out for some time, City’s defensive options were further hit on Tuesday when Jimmy Oates suffered a torn hamstring.

Taylor says Oates will be out for “months, rather than weeks” and the rookie boss has acted swiftly by recalling the 19-year-old back to Devon as cover.

“We are a little bit light on the ground at the moment, so we have recalled Alex Hartridge from his loan spell at Truro and he will go straight into the squad this weekend, but any injury offers an opportunity for someone else to come in,” Taylor said.

“We have a strong enough group but obviously, with three games in a week next week, we need everyone fit and firing going into all three games, so it will be a tough week, starting with Port Vale away on Saturday, but we are looking forward to it.”

City do indeed start a hectic spell with Saturdays trip to Port Vale and that is followed by a home clash with Stevenage on Tuesday and the short trip to Yeovil on October 6.

Oates injury is a real shame with the 27-year-old catching the eye in his outings for City so far. He was impressive again before injury struck against West Ham and while he doesn’t use it as an excuse, Taylor says the stop-start nature of Tuesday’s game did not help the Aussie defender.

“It was a strange game on Tuesday with the floodlights failing, you are off for a period of time and then you have half-time… it was very stop-start,” he said.

Alex Hartridge of Exeter City during the first Exeter City training session and Kit Launch at Exeter City's Cliff Hill Training Ground on July 2, 2018 in Exeter, Devon England - PHOTO: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK

“He is such a dynamic player and it happened just after half-time, so it’s disappointing for him and disappointing when anyone picks up an injury, but Tuesday night was a little different to a normal game with the floodlights.

“We have no excuses, it happens in football, sometimes, dynamic players injure their hamstrings and we saw that with Jonathan Forte a number of weeks ago.

“Jimmy is a fit lad, a strong lad and a good pro, so he will do everything he can to get back on that pitch as soon as possible. We can’t rush him, we won’t rush any of the injured players, but I need as many fit players as I possibly can at the moment.”

As for the injury to Brown, Taylor confirmed the defender had undergone a knee reconstruction.

“It was a certain type of operation where the reconstruction and repair in his knee is going to need time to heel, but as soon as he’s back out ion the training ground, we have to get him to match fitness and where he can come in and play League Two football,” Taylor said.

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“I think it’s the best thing that could happen to Troy in terms of his knee issues for a number of years now.

“It’s held him back in terms of game time and his career progressing as well. There was an obvious issue that he’s had to deal with for a number of seasons now and it should be cleared up when he does come back.

“We just have to support him as best we possibly can and look forward to when he does come back.”